I am confused. Are you answering Rebecca’s question about Nyjer seed or where to find millet?

I am not certain how many uromastyx you own but it really doesn’t matter how large of a dish or how flat of a rock I may put under it, most of the uromastyx I keep will end up dragging some greens into the substrate. It is not that the food is falling out of the dish; they walk through the food causing it to end up 3 feet from the dish.

I believe that the complaint of most is that the reptile is grabbing mouthfuls of sand when grabbing the greens not that the animal is intentionally consuming the substrate. Another complaint is that the greens are covered in substrate when they are dragged throughout the enclosure. One simple solution to this would be to dry the greens prior to feeding so that substrate (regardless of type) does not stick.

I have used millet for over three years (not currently using it) with dozens of uromastyx and have never had one single uromastyx that viewed its millet substrate as a diet item. Yes, some occasionally ingested the uncracked millet with the greens that they dragged into the substrate but the small round seeds passed through the digestive system without problem. I never saw signs for alarm with too much millet where I felt that the space being taken up by millet was enough to cause nutritional concerns. This was one concern that I had early on but I watched it closely and it never materialized. I think it sends confusing messages to ‘feed’ seed and to use it as a substrate so this is something that I would not recommend. I would also be apprehensive to use seed as a substrate if the animal had been offered this as part of its diet in the past. One of the reasons I chose millet over mixed seed is that millet seems to be less desirable as a food item. Some speculate that the undigested millet may even benefit by helping to break up the larger plant material as it passes through the system thus making it more usable in the high temperature digestive process. As for protein, millet is more of a starch seed not oil seed and is considered rather low in protein.

I do agree with you on one of your points. I feel that a diet lacking in minerals (or other nutrients) could result in a reptile consuming substrate regardless of what that substrate may be. Sand is usually silica (quartz) not calcium carbonate but this may not matter to an animal that has a dietary deficiency, as they may not take the time to ‘think’ things out.

"As a grain, it is nutritionally balanced, non acid forming and is rich in high grade protein (containing 10 essential amino acids), minerals, vitamins and lecithin." The ratios of minerals and vitamins in is, for me, in question also.

I have just aquired 1.2 Geryi and I used to have 1.2 Sudanese that I had for four years before I lost them in a very unfortunate hibernation accident.(the room I was using stayed around 60-65 degrees, but someone left a door to the outside open and it got much colder for a few days before I caught it).
I am not an expert and I am not saying sand - especially just sand - is a better substrate than birdseed, I just think the animals should be closely monitored and that consumption of millet could possibly have long term nutritional effects.

The avian site you list mentions that millet is rich in ‘high grade’ protein not that it is necessarily a high protein food.

As I already mentioned that none of my uromastyx viewed millet as a substrate and the majority of the millet that was ingested was uncracked and passed through their system, I would not have a protein concern even if there were 30 grams of protein in 100 grams of millet.

http://www.repticzone.com/forums/Uromastyx/messages/57753.html

The major drawback that I noticed when using millet was the dust. The seed tends to break down over time and I found myself replacing the substrate more often than what I wanted. I never had a problem with insects but have heard from others who have.

In any event, the drawbacks that I listed are sincere.

Best regards,

Best regards,

Evidentally, you did not see the hilarity of the situation.

Hmmmm...if I had to defend (your words), that might lead some to believe that there was an attack of some sort.

FYI:

I discontinued the use of millet in some of my enclosures during the breeding season when I realized the male’s footing was not as secure when mounting the female. I just felt that there would be more traction by eliminating granular substrate. I was also slightly concerned about the circle dance that the male performs on top of the female. During this very aggressive dance during breeding season, the vent is actually open slightly as he is dragging it over the female and across the substrate. I was concerned with the possibility of seeds irritating this area.

Shortly after this, I received a half dozen Vision enclosures which have ridges rather than flat bottoms. I thought that this might make complete substrate changes more difficult so I elected not to set up those enclosures with millet.

The fact that I purchased a new microscope and a dozen or so new reptiles in the last three months also resulted in setting up more enclosures without millet.

I have been using heavy weight brown Kraft paper (bought in rolls) which I buy in various widths. This makes collecting feces much easier for the large numbers of fecals I have been checking on an almost daily basis with my new toy.

I will not hesitate to return to millet when I get tired of changing paper and paying the teens to cut it for me. :)

I need to make a comment on a few of your remarks-

“People who are using seed as substrate still give their uros lentils, peas, lima beans, split peas. SO if they are consuming the seed IN ADDITION”

And

“IT IS POSSIBLE THAT BIRDSEED, BEING RELATIVELY HIGH IN EASILY UTILIZED PROTEIN, THAT IS INGESTED IN ADDITION TO OR INSTEAD OF A MORE BALANCED DIET COULD POSSIBLY HAVE LONG TERM HEALTH EFFECTS”

Please be aware that not everyone feeds lentils and peas and I would be willing to bet that the majority of those that do - do not feed 2-3 times per week.

Which leads me to believe that-

My uromastyx when kept on millet and fed a small mixture of green peas (occasionally lentils are added in) every 10 days and a diet of fresh greens every day other than the 10th day did not consume a fraction of the protein that your uromastyx were getting with your 2-3 day per week feeding of lentils and split peas on your soil substrate.

The point you make about feeding a diet with protein items and a uromastyx that consumes a lot of seed in addition to this diet is a valid one. However, please be aware that not everyone feeds legumes and those that do may do so sparingly. Also please be aware that not all uromastyx eat seed substrate just because you saw a few posts were a couple of uromastyx did. If these two things were taking place (diet high in protein and eating seed), I think most of the people on this forum would recommend changes.

Although I have only been approached once with the problem of a uromastyx eating moderate amounts of it’s seed substrate, I immediately made the recommendation to change the substrate. This answer would have been the same whether the substrate was seed, sand, paper towels....

Let us agree to disagree on some points but also agree on a few. Lets agree that if a uromastyx is in the habit of consuming moderate amounts of substrate on a regular basis that the possibility of using another substrate should be explored. At the same time lets also agree that if a uromastyx does not view its substrate as a diet item, there really is no need to look at changing to another substrate.